‘The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway’ (or S.M.J.) was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJ from 1909 to 1923. In 1923 the S.M.J.became a minor arm of the London Midland and Scottish (L.M.S.), then in 1948 'British Railways'
Gone but not forgotten: "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth"
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SMJ Forum
Passenger Trains connected to the SMJ
Following on from the previous discussion about WD passenger trains on the SMJ during the 1940s; it must be said that passenger trains ran on metals connected to the SMJ until the mid 1960s. There was a passenger service from the nearest point to…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward Jun 16.
Wartime passenger trains from Burton Dassett 3 Replies
Arthur Jordan in his book, The Stratford Upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway - The Shakespeare Route at pp 82 mentions a WW2 late night special from Stratford on Avon to Burton Dassett for soldiers at the CAD. I would envisage that this did not…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 16.
PPhoto Albums 1 Reply
AndyAbout two years ago I ended up with some railway matter from a Bill Kendall who had been a Signalman on SMJ ending his railway career at Northampton No 1. I worked with him when I was working in Rugby PSB, I also covered the signa?l boxes at…Continue
Started by Robin Leslie Patrick. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 8.
Broom Junction station site for sale 3 Replies
Great opportunity for an SMJ enthusiast perhaps. I'm not sure what you could actually do with this site though!…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens May 17.
SMJ photos
SMJ Staff
Hello all, Been doing some research lately and came across a wedding certificate that lists my Grandfathers occupation as a "Platelayer" now im attempting to find out who for, any ideas if a list of employees of the SMJ is available ? Also its possible it could have been the Buckinghamshire Railway. Would be gratful of any help.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by NIGEL on
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My Grandfather's occupation was listed as "Linesman" in 1926, and I have been trying to find out when he joined the SMJ / LMS railway, but with no luck yet.
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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on
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Lee and Nigel,
I think there is a distinction between linesman and platelayer. I believe a linesman walked the line between two stations each day knocking in loose keys and reporting faults whereas a platelayer was more of a PW man who might have been sent to where work had to be done that the linesman didn't tackle (in later days travelling on a platelayers trolley). I know that even as late as in early BR days there were two separate linesmen who walked the sections either side of Blakesley. My grandfather was a bricklayer during SMJ and LMS days. He often used to ride on a bicycle type trolley to where he was working, usually repairing brickwork on culverts. He spend quite a lot of time on one job near the GCR main line and his work party used to use the passage of the always punctual 'Sam Fay' express ( not the 'Sir Sam Fay' loco incidentally) as a signal to knock off as they didn't often have a watch between them.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Parsons on
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I think you are referring to a lengthman Dick (hence talk of someone 'walking his length'). As I understand it, a lineman was someone who maintained the cables carrying telephone and signalling circuits - usually carried on telegraph poles in those days - repairing broken cables, fractured insulators etc I imagine.
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Yes you are right Paul, my mistake
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